When Naik Narayanan was Bhuj'smain link to the outside world

Josy Joseph in New Delhi

Naik Narayanan stood up and surveyed his surroundings. All around was debris and an uneasy silence, and the waft of death was overbearing. Bhuj looked like a destroyed enemy town, conquered to the last post. But Narayanan did not feel like a victorious soldier.

The VSAT antenna that he had been manning was lying broken on the ground, his communication link to the outside world damaged and underground cable network at his station destroyed.

Rising above the debris of Bhuj, unmindful of personal risk and possible tragedy, Naik Narayanan stood up to the glory of the Army and his Corps. He got his dish antenna back in position, fixing it back. Within minutes, he was back in communication, telling his commanders about death all around.

His was the voice that told the country what Bhuj had become. It was in his voice that the world was told Bhuj still had lives around.

Almost for three days this extra-ordinary soldier's VSAT terminal was the main communication link that the earthquake shattered, reduced to rubble, the town of Bhuj had with the outside world. And he worked round-the-clock like a soldier at the frontline of a fierce battle.

"He behaved like a soldier in a bunker, relaying to his commander the onslaught of the mighty enemy," recalls a senior officer of the Corps of Signals, the crucial arm that provides full-scale communication and electronic warfare support to the Army. It also provides operational line communication for the Navy and Air Force.

The Signals, which is playing an impressive role in earthquake rescue and relief, has cancelled celebrations to mark the 90th anniversary of its founding, on February 15.

"It is in keeping with the sentiments of the nation," says Major General D P Sehgal, VSM, Additional Director General, Signals Staff.

In the ruins of Bhuj, this crucial Corps proved its mettle, and continues its work. The VSAT terminal of Narayanan was the main communication link that Bhuj had with the rest of the country, even as the Air Force and civil telephone lines had broken down.

The station commander of Bhuj Air Force station had to fly down to a nearby air base, to convey information on the damage and destruction, to his superiors. But for the Army, Narayanan's brave act and extraordinary VSAT port acted as the lifeline.

"For almost three days, ours was a crucial communication that Bhuj had with the outside world," Major General Sehgal says.

The satellite communication that was working at Bhuj despite the earthquake is part of the Army's formidable network of satellite terminals along border regions mainly targeted at low intensity conflicts.

Destruction to the army communication network too was extensive. Except for the VSAT terminal, everything had failed. The army's underground cable network had collapsed. Every time an official at the Bhuj unit had to communicate with Pune, Southern Army Command headquarters, or New Delhi, they had to come to Narayanan's post.

The satellite terminal became a feeder for the Crisis Management Group in New Delhi for almost two days. The local station commander was in constant touch with the Director General of Military Operations, who represents the army in the CMG. The DGMO in turn was feeding the information to the CMG, which took decisions on rescue and relief operations for the first two days, mostly based on army feedback.

The Southern Army Command, under which the Bhuj Army station falls, was in touch with Bhuj through the army's secured exchange in New Delhi.

Army chief General S Padmanabhan and other senior army commanders were also receiving updates, for almost three days, through this terminal. "In the meantime, we pushed in INMARSAT
terminals to the region. We also established radio links in the area," Major General Sehgal says.

The Army rushed two INMARSAT mini-M terminals the same day. Later, the number grew over 10. Two radio relay and 11 detachments were also moved in.

Narayanan received little back-up form his unit, as the entire signal unit responsible for the area was out in the desert for a routine winter exercise.

The Army Signals established the Ahmedbad-Bhuj and Bhuj-Pune network through VSAT and Inmarsat facilities.

Even after two days, the Department of Telecom network in Ahmedabad was partially damaged. So even the CMG had to depend on the army's emergency network for communicating with the state government control room in Ahmedabad.

For the first three days, the army had to also handle numerous "welfare calls", distraught calls to and from Bhuj from army personnel and their families.

Major General Sehgal says the Signals Corps has sent out signals to its units to cancel all celebrations on February 15. "Ever five years, we have a reunion. Besides, on our Corps Day we have a customary lunch with senior officials of the VSNL and DoT. We have called off all such celebrations," he says.

However, the corps is on the fast road to modernisation and has entered the era of cyber warfare and information technology challenges. "We are in tune with the times. We are also carrying out major changes and improvements to keep up with the evolving challenges thrown up by information technology," says Sehgal.